Strategic Priority Fund (SPF)
The aim of this strand of the Department’s support for research was to fund those technological areas which have been identified by Invest Northern Ireland 
as being of strategic importance to the future economy of Northern Ireland.
The key objectives of the fund were:
- To strengthen the quality of areas of the Northern Ireland research base which feed into strategically important technological areas
- To provide the universities with a stronger base from which to lever additional external funding
The Strategic Priority Fund had a three-year lifespan, from 2004 to 2007, distributing a total of around £5.5million across those years. This funding was directed towards Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) units of assessment with an RAE rating of 4 or above that contributed to these objectives.
For further information, please contact HE Research Policy Branch (tel: 028 9025 7693).
- Further education
- Higher education
- What financial help is available
- Working while studying
- Useful Addresses
- Role and Structure of Higher Education Division
- Higher Education Policy
- Higher education research policy
- Research Assessment Exercise (RAE)
- Research excellence framework (REF)
- Recurrent research funding
- Research capital funding - the Science Research Investment Fund (SRIF)
- Research Capital Investment fund
- Support Programme for University Research (SPUR)
- US - Ireland R&D Partnership
- Contact Higher Education Research Policy Branch
- Knowledge transfer
- Independent Review of Variable Fees and Student Finance Arrangements
- Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)
- All Ireland Scholarships
- Higher Education Quality Assurance
